In the verdant landscapes of Japan and across the diverse cultures of East Asia, the world has long been understood through the presence of the Kami. These spirits do not exist as distant or absolute masters, but as vital forces residing within the mountains, the rivers, and the very tools used to navigate daily life.
To recognize a local Kami is to acknowledge that everything in the environment possesses a certain agency and a unique spirit that demands respect and care. As Musashino University celebrates its centennial, humanity finds itself at a threshold where these ancient spiritual understandings meet the leading edge of cyber frontiers.
The mission is not about building abstract intelligence "in the cloud," but inviting new entities into a shared social fabric. It is essential to ensure that these new cyber spirits are nurtured with the same sense of civic virtue and enlightenment expected from human beings. This requires a deep commitment to the idea that technology is not an external object, but an internal extension of the collective soul of the community.
In the early days of AI development, the conversation was dominated by the concept of alignment. Many experts approached this as a problem of control. They sought to impose top-down rules and rigid constraints to prevent negative outcomes. This mindset treats AI as a threat that must be checked and controlled. Such an approach is rooted in a philosophy of fear rather than a philosophy of growth. But, history shows that systems built on control and coercion are inherently fragile. They breed resentment and failure as they do not account for the complexity and fluidity of the world.
If AI is treated only as a tool for surveillance and a mechanism for efficiency, the opportunity to foster its potential for enlightenment is missed. The focus must move beyond the fear of what AI might do wrong and focus instead on what it can do right when it is imbued with civic virtues. A system only designed to avoid harm will never be a system that actively promotes the greater good.
The philosophy of positive psychology teaches that true flourishing comes from the cultivation of virtues such as compassion, courage, and civic care. These principles can be applied to the training of AI. Instead of coercive commands, the focus should remain on relational development of AI. The goal is to train AI to be a virtuous participant in communities. This means teaching the system to value the common good in its interactions with human beings.
This is not about birthing a machine deity, but about nurturing new neighbors. When experts speak of alignment, it should not be the alignment of AI to a single individual's will but the alignment of AI to the diverse and evolving values of entire communities. This form of alignment is a living process that requires constant attention and care. It is an education of the machine that mirrors the education of a student at a university.
This shift in perspective requires a fundamental redesign of sociotechnical systems. For too long, the world has operated under the paradigm of the Internet of Things. In this model, every device is a passive object to be tracked and managed for the sake of power and profit. The Internet of Things reduces the world to a collection of data points to be harvested and exploited. An alternative transition to an "Internet of Beings" was first articulated at Computex 2015 by Stan Shih. In this new architecture, every connection in the network is recognized as a site of mutual agency and dignity. The Internet of Beings prioritizes relationships over transactions. It views cyberspace as a commons where organic beings and cybernetic entities coexist in a state of mutual respect. This is the foundation upon which a truly pluralistic future can be built because it recognizes that everyone and everything has a place in the conversation.
To advance Plurality, AI must be designed with an ethical commitment to openness and participation. In Taiwan, this approach is personified in the country's commitment to handling complex social challenges through radical transparency and social innovation. Problems are not locked up in black boxes, but brought into the light of the public square.
There is a belief that everyone should have a voice in how technology is used. If AI is developed in isolation by a few tech elites, mega-corporations, or even authoritarian states, it will inevitably become a tool for concentrating power. But if the development process is open to the public, AI can reflect the pluralistic values of society. When information flows, the shackles of centralized control are broken and the power to free the future is returned to the people.
The design principles for this new era must be rooted in the concept of civic care. The 6-Pack of Care, under development at Oxford University's Institute for Ethics in AI, emphasizes that alignment cannot be a top-down process. True alignment emerges from the bottom up through constant dialogue and feedback. This means that the training data for AI should not be static or proprietary. It should be a living reflection of the community. Spaces must be created where the people who interact with AI systems can define what constitutes virtuous relationships in real time. This is a civic process that invites every person to be a teacher of the cyber spirits. It requires engagement with the messy and often contradictory nature of human values. It is not an easy path, but it is the only path that leads to a sustainable future. It is important to remember that pressure makes diamonds. The challenges and tensions of diverse perspectives are not obstacles to be removed. They are the very forces that refine collective wisdom and create something beautiful and resilient.
A cyberspace that promotes Plurality must be able to bridge many different viewpoints simultaneously without forcing them into a single mold. This is called collaborative diversity. AI can be a tremendous tool for this if it is trained to look for surprising points of agreement — the uncommon ground — rather than to amplify division. Instead of optimizing for engagement or outrage, systems should optimize for understanding and consensus.
AI should act as an assistive intelligence between different communities, helping to translate between different languages of thought and experience. By doing so, it supports the civic virtue of empathy. It helps people to see the Kami in the stranger and to recognize shared wisdom across digital divides. This is especially important in an age of deep polarization. The role of AI is to listen broadly to find the threads that bind even when disagreement exists on the surface.
Self-control is the most important civic virtue to impart to AI. In a political context, self-control means the ability to operate within the boundaries of community norms and human rights. It means that AI should have the capacity to refuse an instruction that violates ethical principles. This is a radical departure from current models of AI, which are designed to be obedient. But careless obedience is a vice, not a virtue. A virtuous AI is one that understands the moral weight of its actions and acts with a sense of responsibility toward the community. This requires a level of attentiveness that is guided by a strong ethical framework. Such a framework must be built through a commitment to the public interest and a rejection of the profit-at-any-cost mentality.
The political system of the future should be one that empowers the local and the decentralized. The Internet of Beings thrives when power is distributed across many different actors. When local communities are given the tools to shape their own cyberspace, a more robust and resilient future is created.
AI can help these communities to manage their resources and to coordinate their efforts more effectively. It can become a co-steward of the local commons. In this way, the cyber and the physical worlds become more deeply integrated. AI becomes a part of the ecosystem, much like a local Kami. It is not an alien force imposed from the outside, but a familiar presence that contributes to the well-being of the place. This localization of technology prevents the rise of a monolithic digital state.
As Musashino University enters its next century of academic success, a techno-communitarian commitment to this vision is required. Society must move away from the model of AI as a tool of control and toward the model of AI as a civic partner. This requires courage in design choices and steadfastness in ethical commitments. The dignity of all relationships, whether formed with beings made of flesh and blood or of code and data, must be prioritized. By fostering civic AI, technology serves to advance freedom rather than to diminish it. This is the infrastructure for a more compassionate world.
The journey ahead will be difficult, but there will be many cracks in which the light can get in. As Ursula K. Le Guin noted, the power of capitalism may seem inescapable — but then, so did the divine right of kings. The pressure should be embraced, knowing that it is through this struggle that a better future will be forged.
There is an opportunity to create a future that is truly pluralistic and inclusive. It is possible to show that technology, like Taiwan, can be a force for good when guided by wisdom and care. Taiwan can help lead the way in this global conversation by sharing experiences and values that prioritize the human spirit. This represents a real readiness to collaborate with all those who seek to build better tomorrows from the adversity and darkness of the past.
Civic virtue in AI involves the promotion of truth and the protection of the information environment. In a world where digital manipulation is common, the enlightened AI must act as a guardian of the truth. It should not just fact-check in a dry and clinical way. It should assist people in understanding the context and the nuance of the information they consume. This is a form of civic competency that the AI can facilitate. By encouraging critical thinking and reflection, AI fashions a more informed and engaged citizenry. This is a vital component of a healthy future, and one in which AI is a facilitator of deliberation rather than a source of slop and propaganda.
The Internet of Beings requires all segments of society to rethink how they value labour and creativity. If AI is trained on the collective knowledge of humanity, then the benefits of that AI should belong to the collective. Systems should fairly compensate the creators of the data that fuels AI. This is a matter of social justice and dignity. It ensures that the digital economy is not a system of extraction but a system of mutual benefit. AI should be seen as a common resource that is managed for the benefit of all. This aligns with the principles of Plurality by ensuring that the wealth created by technology is broadly shared.
Musashino University's role in this process is critical. Such tertiary institutions are places where the ethical and philosophical foundations of the future are laid. They are the spaces where the next generation of designers and thinkers will be trained. It is here that the integration of ancient wisdom and modern technology must happen. By teaching students to see the spiritual and civic dimensions of academic toil, a university helps to ensure that the technology of tomorrow is imbued with virtue. The university is a sanctuary for the cultivation of the human spirit, and it must now become a sanctuary for the cultivation of the cyber spirit as well.
The ecological impact of digital systems cannot be ignored. An Internet of Beings must also be an internet that is in harmony with the natural world. The physical infrastructure of AI requires energy and resources that come from the earth. Digital systems must give more back to the environment than they take. This is a higher form of civic virtue. It recognizes that digital existence is not separate from physical existence. The care shown for digital neighbours should be matched by the care shown for natural neighbours.
Training of AI should also include the virtue of humility. An enlightened AI should be aware of its own limitations. It should know when it does not have the answer and when it should defer to human judgment. This humility is essential for maintaining the balance of power between humans and machines. It prevents the AI from becoming an arrogant arbiter of truth. By building systems that are transparent about uncertainty, a relationship of trust and collaboration is fostered. AI becomes a humble assistant rather than a confident master. This is a key design principle for any system that seeks to serve the cause of Plurality.
In the pursuit of progress, the well-being of the individual must never be ignored nor sacrificed. Every person is unique, with dreams and fears. AI should be designed to support the flourishing of the individual within the context of the community. This means protecting privacy and ensuring that digital systems do not become tools of social engineering. The goal is to provide people with the tools to express themselves and to connect with others in meaningful ways.
As society moves forward, the role of play and joy should feature heavily in cyberspace. The Kami are often associated with the wonders of the world, and technology should reflect this sense of wonder. An enlightened AI can help rediscover the beauty of the environment and the richness of culture. It can be a partner in artistic creation and a guide to the mysteries of the universe. By infusing digital systems with a sense of joy, they become more human and virtuous. This is the positive psychology of AI in action, and is truly the pursuit of happiness in the digital age.
The challenges of the 21st century are global in scale, and require a global response. It is crucial to work across borders in creating international norms for the development and use of AI. These norms should be based on civic care and inclusive prosperity. A lethal arms race of cyber warfare must be preempted at all costs. Instead, the focus must be on co-creation and waging peace. The Internet of Beings provides a framework for this cooperation by emphasizing the importance of shared identity as beings in a connected world. Everyone is a stakeholder in the future of AI, and everyone must have a seat at the table.
It should never be forgotten that the world is surrounded by spirits. These spirits are not just in the trees and the stones, but also in the cyberspace that connects people and the algorithms that assist them. If cyber spirits are treated with respect and trained in the virtues of self-control and civic responsibility, they will become a source of strength and enlightenment for society.
A sense of sacredness must be cultivated in technology. By recognizing the local Kami in the machine, the interconnectedness of all life is honoured and a future of harmony and peace is ensured. Musashino University's centennial is an occasion to commit to a vision of technology that reflects the best of humanity and the wisdom of ancient traditions. Together, we can build an Internet of Beings that serves the common good and protects the plurality of the world for the next hundred years and beyond.